A government “at war with itself” appears to be drifting when what the country desperately needs is decisive action, writes Douglas Gibson.
Johannesburg - A few days ago we were advised that Minister of Women in the Presidency Susan Shabangu was the acting president.
Well, yes, but is anyone in charge of the government even when President Jacob Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa are not attending foreign conferences? Ramaphosa, speaking at Makhenkesi Stofile's funeral, referred to the government as one “at war with itself”.
We have the peculiar, some would say highly irregular, position that over-mighty party functionaries like secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte, neither of them even members of Parliament, lecture South Africans constantly and seem to have the task of praising, blaming and even calling ministers to order.
They express opinions about government matters far outside their levels of expertise and sometimes contradict each other. They did so glaringly over the Pravin Gordhan/Hawks stand-off.
Mantashe said Gordhan was being humiliated by the way in which the affair was being run; Duarte, obviously ignorant of the constitution and the law, said he should not believe he was above the law and should co-operate with the Hawks.
Quite apart from the farcical nature of the possible charges and the questionable conduct of the head of the Hawks, she has not heard that an accused person has the right to remain silent, not least after answering in writing questions put to him.
Again one asks, is anyone in charge? Wherever one looks in government, officials and appointees, as well as some ministers, have become too big for their boots.
Co-operative governance, cabinet co-responsibility, collegiality, mutual respect even, have disappeared.
And there are no consequences. No one (except sometimes Mantashe) tells them all to keep quiet and focus on the jobs they are paid to do.
Deputy Defence Minister Kebby Maphatsoe, known in his past life as the hero of Quatro camp, feels entitled to express personal opinions about his seniors who are cabinet ministers.
The junior member of the cabinet, Minister Des van Rooyen, wearing a clownish camouflage battle dress, saw fit to launch a personal attack on one of the most senior ministers, Gordhan.
The Gupta-appointed Minister of Mineral Resources, Mosebenzi Zwane, who knows little about international banking independence requirements, recommended the task of licensing banks be removed from the Reserve Bank and given to the finance minister.
Duarte, also unschooled in financial matters, said the ANC wanted to know why the rand was “so jumpy”. She said the Reserve Bank ought to cushion it but because it is privately owned, “we have difficulty”.
She was put in her place by the Reserve Bank, but the question remains: What is the ANC's deputy secretary-general doing expressing her ignorant opinions and undermining the work of a vitally important institution?
Even the communist ministers are starting to attack their own government. They are now at odds with the president as they put a brave face on a possible re-shuffle leaving them out of the cabinet.
They are not prepared to condone the thievery going on in the government, forgetting their silence up to now and their call for a law to protect the president from being “insulted”.
They think the president has too much power and should not be able to appoint ministers without other (presumably their) input.
Of course, the rot at national level extends further than the carryings-on of these politicians.
The chairwoman of SAA has already seen off several ministers, including Nhlanhla Nene, Lynne Brown, Gordhan and Ramaphosa.
Her close friend, Zuma, will now supervise her.
One hopes that with his expert knowledge of aviation and experience of running a multibillion-rand business, combined with that of primary school teacher Dudu Myeni, a rapid restoration of the fortunes of our national airline is at hand.
Many state-owned enterprises are not operating satisfactorily.
Eskom is accused by the Treasury of lying to the public in relation to a Gupta family-owned mine.
The SABC ignores court orders and the mighty chief operating officer feels entitled to describe members of Parliament before whom he is appearing as “not honourable”.
The minister of communications ignores ANC policy, ensuring South Africa trails years behind with the introduction of digital TV.
Denel is at war with the Treasury over a partnership arrangement with the Guptas.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has cost the taxpayer unnecessary billions. It is at war with the minister who does not want a proper investigation into the reasons for the wastage, leading one to wonder whose interests are being protected. The list is endless.
The worst aspect of no one being in charge is the sense of drift. The failure to take firm action that will solve the challenging economic climate is alarming. A government at war with itself that does not know what it is doing cannot give the country the lead it requires.
Do these people not realise they are playing with fire? Don’t they foresee they may be heading for a good long period in opposition?
Nothing switches the voters off more than the realisation that their interests don't count. The ANC has created an image of arrogance and corruption. This, together with its belief that irrespective of bad government it will rule “until Jesus comes”, persuaded several million voters to turn their backs on it in the local elections.
If these ministers and officials do not change their ways, they could find Mmusi Maimane and the combined opposition negotiating a coalition government in 2019.
There is now precedent for that.
* Douglas Gibson is a former opposition chief whip and a former ambassador to Thailand.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
The Star